Breakwater-shield for submarine boats.



R. H. M. ROBINSON.

BREAKWATER SHIELD FOR SUBMARINE BDATS.

APPL ICATION FILED NOV- 18. I914.

Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

g s 0 Q R. H. M. ROBINSON- BREAKWATER SHIELD FOR SUBMARINE sons.

APPLIQATION FILED NOV- !8, l9l4. 1,14%958, Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- A 77'0R/VEY COLUMBIA PLANoqRAPH CO.,WA.SMINGTON, D. c.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

RICHARD H. M. ROBINSON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAKE TORIEEDO BOAT COMPANY OF MAINE, OFBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filed November 18, 1914. Serial No. 872,772.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD HALLETT llIEREDITH ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breakwater-Shields for Submarine Boats, of which the following is a specification.

Submarine or submersible boats, even of the largest sea-going types, have very little freeboard and, in consequence, when operating on the surface even in moderately heavy weather, the seas break over the bow and sweep the deck, especially when running head on to the sea, which not only retards the progress of the boat but adds discomfort and danger to those standing or working on the forward deck as well as discomfort to those below since the hatches are necessarily kept closed.

The object of the invention is to provide a strong and durable breakwater shield adj acent to the forward end of the boat which will serve, when the boat is operating on the surface, to deflect the water breaking over the bow and thus prevent the water from sweeping the deck back of the shield, the shield being so arranged that it may be quickly adjusted into position, and as quickly housed when the boat is to be submerged so that all speed resisting surfaces are avoided when the boat is operating with the deck of the superstructure entirely under water.

The invention consists in providing the superstructure of a submarine boat with a well, and in slidingly mounting a breakwater shield in the well whereby it may be elevated above the deck when the boat is operating on the surface and lowered into the well and completely housed when the boat is to be operated submerged to thus avoid speed resisting surfaces when the boat is operating with the deck completely under water, the well serving to prevent the water which sweeps the forward end of the deck from entering and flooding the space formed by the superstructure through the opening in the deck of the latter through which the shield operates, means being employed for raising and lowering the shield from within the main hull of the boat thereby avoiding the necessity of carrying out such operations from the deck in rough weather.

The invention further consists in certain details of construction, combinations and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter described and then claimed.

In the drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the forward end of a submarine or submersible boat provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section drawn on a larger scale on the line aa of Fig. 2. Fig. i is a vertical trans verse section drawn on the irregular line bb of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section drawn on the line c-c of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a vertical section drawn through the upper end of the well showing the shield in its lowered position, and the upper edge of the shield provided with a flanged bar for closing the opening in the deck when the shield is in its loweredposition. Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal section drawn on the line (ZZ of Fig. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section drawn through the upper end of the guide post illustrating one means for locking the shields in elevated position.

Broadly, the shield may be said to comprise two scctions which stand at approximately right angles to each other and at an acute angle to the deck with the apex of the shield located toward the bow of the boat so that there is provided a shield having di verging sides which will serve to cut the water sweeping over the bow and deflect it over the sides of the boat to thus prevent the water from sweeping the entire forward section of the deck.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the forward end of the main hull of a submarine or submersible boat having a super structure 2, which in the present showing, is formed with a forecastle 3 and a substantially flat deck 3. The superstructure may be, and preferably is, constructed to be rendered water-tight when operating on the surface whereby to increase the stability of the boat. The deck of the forecastle is provided with a substantially right angle opening or slot 4 through the apex of which projects an obliquely arranged post 5 having a flanged base 6 which is securely fastened to the plating of the main hull 1, the post being braced below the deck 3' of the superstructure by a plate 7 which is riveted to said deck and to the shell plating of the hull 1, and bolted or otherwise connected-to the forward side of the post, and above the deck 3' by plates 8 and 8 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), which are connected, respectively, to the forward and rear sides of the post and to the said v deck 3.

The sides of the post 5 are provided with grooves 9 providing guides for the inner edges of break-water shields 10, operating through the slot 4 and which extend rearwarclly in diverging directions from the post. The break-water shields are preferably constructed of metal plates and are braced or stiffened by longitudinal angle bars 10, and by transverse angle bars (not shown) if required, the bars being secured to the rear sides of the shields as shown. In order to prevent ingress of Water to the space formed by the superstructure, through the slot 4, I arrange a housing 11 within the superstructure providing a well into which the shields are lowered when not in use as will be hereinafter more fully described. The upper end of the housing is connected to the lower side of the deck 3 of the superstructure and may entirely surround the post 5 or connected thereto as shown in Fig. 5, and in order to permit the escape of water from the housing or well I provide its ends with outlets which are connected by pipes 11 (Fig. 4) which extend through the sides of the superstructure 3, so that the water may be drained overboard.

In order to raise and lower the shield from within the main hull of the boat I provide the edges of the webs of the angle bars 10, that are arranged adjacent to the side edges of the shield plates, with ratchet teeth 12 which are meshed by pinions 12 carried by horizontal shafts 13 journaled within the upper ends of the housing, one end of each shaft being journaled in a hearing 13 secured to each end of the housing and their opposite ends in bearings 13 carried by brackets extending from the post 5. The inner ends of the shafts 13 are provided with intermeshing bevel gears 14: (Fig. 5), and upon one shaft 13 is keyed a worm wheel '15 which is meshed by a worm 16 carried at the upper end of a shaft 16 journaled at its upper end in a bearing carried by a bracket 17 extending from the post 5, and at its lower end in a bearing 18 provided with a stuffing-box secured to the bottom of the housing, the said shaft being extended through the bottom of the housing and through the plating of the hull 1, and

through a stuffing-box secured thereto, and has its inner end provided with a hand wheel 20 by which the shaft is rotated. By

this arrangement will be apparent that the shaft 16 may be rotated from Within the main hull in one or the other direction to thus raise or lower the shield into and out of operative position. I do not desire it understood, however, as limiting myself to the idea of operating the shield from within the main hull of the boat, nor to any particular means for so operating it as it will be evident that the shield may be as readily adjusted by ha'nd'from the deck of the boat.

In order to relieve the elevating mechanism of the shield of the strain imposed thereon for holding the shield in elevated position, I provide the upper end of the post with holes 21, Fig. 8, to receive looking pins 22 which are designed to pass through registering openings formed in and adjacent to the upper inner edges of each plate of the shield, and the outer ends of the shield plates adjacent to their lower ends are provided with openings to receive pins 23 which when in position, rest upon the deck 3. The outerupper ends of the shield are connected by guy ropes 2-1 extending from suitable cleats 24: secured to the deck 3. The ropes 24 may be permanently attached to the shield and to their cleats so that when the shield is adjusted in elevated position they will be drawn taut to thus hold the outer ends of the shield in position, or they may be detachably connected to both the shield and the cleats so that they may be removed when the shield is housed.

As shown in Fig. 6, the upper horizontal edge of the shield may be provided with an angle plate 25 to snugly fit the upper end of the slot 4 when the shield is housed.

' As will be noted the post 5 and the shield is arranged at an oblique angle with respect to the deck of the boat with the plates forming the shield arranged at substantially right angles to each other and with its apex toward the bow of the boat so that as the water breaks over the bow the shield will serve to cut the water and direct it over the sides of the boat to thus prevent the water from sweeping the entire forward part of the deck. I

As before stated the superstructure is preferably of the design and construction capable of being rendered water-tight when the boat is operated on the surface and the housing for the break-water shield serves the purpose to prevent water entering the superstructure through the opening in the deck through which the shield operates (the housing will be of such construction as to form a guide for the shield). However, I do not wish to be limited to this construc tion as it is evident that when my invention is installed upon boats of non-water-tight construction the housing may be dispensed with and a suitable guide frame located within the superstructure to guide the shield in itsupward and downward movement into and out of operative position. In either case, however, it would be understood that the superstructure forms a housing for the shield when in its lower position.

What I claim is 1. In a submarine or submersible boat, having a superstructure built thereon the deck 01" which is provided with a slot, a break-water shield adapted to be elevated through said slot above the deck of the superstructure, and means for holding said shield in elevated position.

2. In a submarine or submersible boat, having a superstructure built thereon the deck of which is provided with a substantially right-angle opening or slot, a breakwater shield normally housed within thesuperstructure and adapted to be elevated above said deck through said opening or slot, and means for holding said breakwater shield in elevated position.

3. In a submarine or submersible boat, having a superstructure built thereon the deck of which is provided adjacent to its forward end with a substantially rightangle slot, the apex of which is arranged toward the bow of the boat, a break-water shield normally housed within the superstructure and adapted to be elevated above the deck through the said opening or slot, and means for holding said break-water shield in elevated position.

at. In a submarine or submersible boat, having a superstructure built thereon the deck of which is provided adjacent to its forward end with a substantially rightangle slot, the apex of which is arranged toward the bow of the boat, a break-water shield normally housed within the superstructure and adapted to be elevated above the deck through the said opening or slot,

means for holding said break-water shield in elevated position, and a housing for said shield arranged within the superstructure.

5. In a submarine or submersible boat, having superstructure built thereon the deck of which is provided with a substantially right-angle opening or slot the apex of which is arranged toward the bow of the boat, a post extending from the main hull of the boat through the apex of said open ing or slot and having guiding grooves in its sides, said post extending obliquely from the main hull of the boat and with respect to the superstructure deck, plates providing a break-water shield adapted to operate through said slot and having their inner edges operating in said guiding grooves, means for holding said plates above the deck of the superstructure, for the purpose specified, and means for bracing the outer ends of said shield.

6. In a submarine or submersible boat having a superstructure built thereon the deck of which is provided with a substantially rightangle opening or slot, a housing arranged within the space formed by said superstructure and the hull of the boat and surrounding said opening or slot, said housing being connected water-tight to the deck of the superstructure, a break-water shield normally housed within said housing and adapted to be elevated above the deck of the superstructure through said opening or slot, and means operable from within the main hull of the vessel for elevating and for lowering said shield within the housing.

7. In a submarine or submersible boat having a superstructure built thereon the deck of which is provided with a substantially right angle opening or slot, a housing arranged within the spaceformed by said superstructure and the hull of the boat and surrounding said opening or slot, a guide post extending from the main hull of the boat through the apex of said opening or slot, plates providing a break-water shield arranged within said housing and adapted to be extended above the deck of the superstructure through said slot the inner ends of said plates being slidingly connected to said post, means operable from within the main hull of the vessel for elevating and lowering said shield, for the purpose specitied, and means for locking said shield in elevated position.

8. In a submarine or submersible boat having a superstructure built thereon the deck of which is provided with a substantially right angle opening or slot, the apex of said opening or slot being arranged toward the bow of and in substantially longitudinal alinement with the center line of the boat, a post extending from the main hull of the boat through the apex of said opening or slot and having guiding grooves in its sides, plates forming a break-water shield operable through said opening or slot and having their inner edges held in said guiding grooves, means for holding said shield above the deck of the superstructure, for the purpose specified, a housing for said shield arranged within the space formed by the superstructure and the hull of the boat, and drain pipes leading from said housing through the sides of said superstructure for the purpose specified.

9. A break-water shield for submarine or submersible boats, comprising a pair of plates arranged at substantially right angles to each other and adapted to be elevated above and arranged obliquely to the deck of the boat, the apex of the shield being arranged toward the bow of the boat, and means for holding said shield in elevated position.

10. A break-water shield for submarine or submersible boats comprising a pair of plates arranged at substantially right angles to each other adapted to be elevated above outer ends of said shield;

the deck of the boat and arranged obliquely my hand this 29th day of October, A. D. with respect to said deck, the apex of said 191%.

shield b'ein arran ed toward the bow of the I boat, mean for balding said plates in ele- ROBINSON" vated position, and means for bracing the Witnesses:

PHILIP B. BRILL,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set E. G. GALLAGHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. G. 

